Start holding your breath: New deal could lead to color Kindles by 2010

Despite Jeff Bezos’ claim that color wouldn’t be coming to the Amazon Kindle anytime soon, a report from AP is that a new deal could make it happen by the end of 2010.

E Ink Corp, maker of the Kindle’s electronic ink screen, is being purchased by Prime View International, a major supplier of display components. The press release emphasizes how this will make them them major player in the emerging digital paper market. But in further reporting by AP, this tidbit came out:

The deal will help the combined company develop color versions of its displays and mass produce them by the end of 2010, said Sriram Peruvemba, E Ink’s vice president of marketing. Current models show shades of gray.

A year and half is still a long time to hold your breath, but it beats the “multiple” years previously cited by Bezos. At least we have a target date, so we’ll know exactly when to hold peoples’ feet to the fire.